America's Cup fans will be delighted to hear the latest news: the Yacht Club de France is the sixth challenger to be accepted by the Defender, Oracle Racing and the Golden Gate Yacht Club, to sail in the next AC. This brings the total number of teams competing up to seven, including Aleph Equipe de France, Artemis Racing, Mascalzone Latino, Oracle Racing, two undisclosed teams, and now the Yacht Club de France team.

'We're pleased to be able to announce that a sixth challenger has been accepted for the 34th America's Cup,' said Iain Murray, Regatta Director for AC34 and CEO of America's Cup Race Management. 'This is the second entry from France, confirming the country's strong interest in sailing and the America's Cup. In addition to a rich heritage in the Cup, France has a strong tradition in multihull design and racing, making this edition of the America's Cup of particular interest.' See this issue for more details.

Sad news for sailors who love watching Jules Verne Trophy attempts, as Pascal Bidegorry's Banque Populaire V has had to abandon her efforts after a collision with an unidentified floating object. 'With only half a daggerboard we were only remotely likely to get the record, performance wise but also there was the added risk of the repair not working at 40 knots of boatspeed, and the rudder in the central hull being more exposed,' said noted crewmember Brian Thompson. The maxi trimaran is now headed back to her homeport in Lorient, France to be repaired and to await her next set of marching orders.

Meanwhile, in Wellington, New Zealand, the four remaining boats racing in the Velux 5 Oceans Race restarted their battle yesterday. Genevieve Howard was on the dock in Wellington to capture a photo gallery of the skippers and boats preparing to head off to Punta del Este Uruguay. The skippers enjoyed a wet and wild start to a leg that will undoubtedly test man and machine as they remaining four face the Southern Ocean. Stay tuned, and be sure to check out the coverage of the restart, in this issue.

While the contest for first place all but seriously ended (for now—there's still some 14,500 miles of sailing left) several weeks ago in the Barcelona World Race (BWR), action is heating up in other sectors of the racecourse, most notably between Neutrogena and Mirabaud for second place. Be sure to read all the related BWR articles in this issue.

And for sailors in need of a Volvo Ocean Race injection, be sure to check out the info in this issue about the stopover in Sanya, China. This stop will be the fleet's third as they girdle the planet, and it is sure to present its share of challenges.

May the four winds blow you safely home.

David Schmidt, US Editor Sail-World.com

America's Cup AC45 technical shakedown complete Stephanie Martin, AC45 technical shakedown is now complete, and with that it is handover day for the new wing-sailed catamaran, marking the beginning of the next era of the America's Cup. America's Cup Race Management (ACRM) will now manage the logistics, care and maintenance of the prototype as competitors test the boat over the coming weeks.... [more]Share this story

J/24 North American Championships to be held in beautiful Halifax, NS Katie Nicoll, 2011 J/24 North American Championships August 16-20, 2011 Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron Halifax, Nova Scotia Website: http://j24northamericans2011.wordpress.com/about/ Conveniently located on the west shore of the Northwest Arm, the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron is only minutes from downtown Halifax.... [more]Share this story

Barcelona World Race - Runaways Barcelona World Race, Barcelona World Race - For the moment, approaching the longitude of Australia's Cape Leeuwin, Virbac-Paprec 3 are runaways, Jean Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron today extending their lead to the biggest margin yet of this Barcelona World Race, some 773 miles this afternoon. Dick and Peyron continue to return the best speeds of the top four teams but now in a league of their own.... [more]Share this story

Les Voiles de St. Barth battle for Leopard 3 and Rambler Sabina Mollart-Rogerson, Les Voiles de St. Barth 2011 registrations are going well for the second edition (4 - 9 April 2011), with 40 boats having signed up in the five categories competing (Super Maxi, Classic, Racing, Racing-Cruising, and Racing-Multihull).... [more]Share this story

BoatUS News - With E15, boaters, anglers will need extra vigilance BoatUS, BoatUS News - With the EPA's recent decision to allow the use of gasoline with up to 15% ethanol (E15) in 2001 and newer model cars and trucks, BoatUS says that trailerboaters will need to remain extra vigilant when filling up their truck and trailered boat at the local gas station.... [more]Share this story

Neptune Regatta 2011 - what does it take to lose a second? Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia, Two windward-leeward races for the IRC Racing boats, a welcome home for the PY Cruisers, and best news of all, a welcome amendment to SIs in the form of a 1400 hrs start for the cans racing. Sailors were grateful – yesterday had been long, very long.... [more]Share this story

2011 Pineapple Cup Montego Bay Race - Jamaica bound! Montego Bay Race, We had two great all-clear starts, both of which were very punchy. The PHRF class was actually a bit closer to the line than the IRC class, with a minute to go, but both were right on the line at the gun.... [more]Share this story

Velux 5 Oceans - Gutek hits tree but escapes damage Velux 5 Oceans, Gutek was forced to sail backwards to untangle the keel from the tree's branches. He lost precious miles on his fellow ocean racers but luckily Operon Racing was not damaged in the collision. After just over a day at sea American skipper Brad Van Liew has stolen back the lead from race rival Derek Hatfield... [more]Share this story

Lysekil Women's Match back on the sailing arena in 2011 Anna Holmdahl White, Lysekil Women's Match will again take place from 1 to 6 August in Lysekil, Sweden after a year on hold. The world elite of female match racers are expected to tackle the waters of the west coast of Sweden.... [more]Share this story

Crowds brave inclement weather to see off Velux 5 Oceans skippers Genevieve Howard, Wellingtonians braved gusty winds and occassional heavy rains to see off the four Velux 5 Oceans skippers at Queens Wharf on Sunday. Brad Van Liew was first across the start line and is still in the lead.... [more]Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Silk route Volvo Ocean Race, Volvo Ocean Race fleet will arrive in Sanya, China, the third stop on the 2011-12 route around this time next year. The third leg of the 39,270 nm race will be one of the most difficult legs in the upcoming edition.... [more]Share this story

Barcelona World Race - Neutrogena and Mirabaud do battle Barcelona World Race, Barcelona World Race - It is the first time in the Southern Ocean the fleet are all making downwind or reaching miles. Virbac Paprec 3's Dick and Peyron look to have stable weather systems to New Zealand and mid fleet Neutrogena and Mirabaud have the closest battle.... [more]Share this story

Images of the Velux 5 Oceans: Wellington Start Genevieve Howard, Sail-World's Genevieve Howard was on hand to capture the dockside scenes as the four solo racers in the Velux 5 Oceans, round the world race restarted from Wellington on Sunday.... [more]Share this story

Brian Thompson tells of Banque Populaire V's retirement Brian Thompson, As you might have heard by now, we have turned our bows away from Cape Horn, and back towards Lorient, the boat's home port.... [more]Share this story

Barcelona World Race - Easy miles for breakfast Barcelona World Race, Close to, or on the direct theoretical route, Jean Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron are eating up the miles at a steady rate on Virbac Paprec 3 with some 450 miles still to go to the most western point of the Australia safety barrier. They have around 30 knots of WNW wind and averaged just under 16kts through the night.... [more]Share this story

Velux 5 Oceans - Wet and wild start to sprint three Sarah Hames, Velux 5 Oceans third sprint ride solo round had a wild, wet and windy start at the world yacht race today as the four ocean racers blasted out of Wellington Harbour. Grey, drizzly conditions with strong 25 to 30 knot winds greeted the skippers as they set sail on the sprint to Punta del Este Uruguay, the third of five legs that make up The Ultimate Solo Challenge.... [more]Share this story

America's Cup: Second French Challenger accepted America's Cup Media, The Yacht Club de France is the sixth challenger to be accepted as a Competitor in the 34th America's Cup to be held in San Francisco in September 2013.. This brings the current total to seven confirmed and validated competitors for the 34th America's Cup.... [more]Share this story

Banque Populaire forced to retire from the Jules Verne Trophy Banque Populaire Media, With a lead of 324 miles over the reference time, the Maxi Banque Populaire V was handicapped for more than 48 hours by a damaged daggerboard due to a collision with a UFO*. The crew have tried everything to repair the broken piece and resume their round the world tour. However, after 24 hours of intensive care, Pascal Bidegorry and his men must face the facts: it is not possible for them to c... [more]Share this story

Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac 2011 - Entries now open Greg Freeman, Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac - Entries in the 2011 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, Presented by Veuve Clicquot, are now open.... [more]Share this story

Heineken Cape to Rio - Day 21 race positions Heineken Cape to Rio, Heineken Cape to Rio - Race positions from day twenty-one of the event.... [more]Share this story

ISAF Nations Cup 2011 regional finals Liz Baylis, ISAF Nations Cup 2011 Notice of Race has been published on the ISAF website and the deadline for MNAs (Member National Authorities) to submit applications is fast approaching for Asia and Oceania.... [more]Share this story

America's Cup: Team New Zealand have an Outing Richard Gladwell, Team New Zealand, who have not publicly announced their entry for the 34th America's Cup were the first team outside Oracle Racing to sail the prototype AC45. With skipper Dean Barker on the tiller the AC45 indulged in some spectacular hull flying in conditions that were judged to be too light for sailing in the Sail Auckland Regatta. In these conditions the AC45 looked reasonably powered up an... [more]Share this story

Banque Populaire V hits unidentified object - Brian Thompson reports Brian Thompson, Brian Thompson reports on Banque Populaire V's 'crash' with an unidentified object and repair progress. The night before last I was on the helm doing a steady 37 knots when bang, we hit an unidentified object, which broke off the sacrificial tip of the daggerboard plus some of the main structure above.... [more]Share this story

Heineken Cape to Rio 2011 - Latest from Race HQ Jeanne van Rooyen, Heineken Cape to Rio - Despite a diversion in mid-Atlantic to help another yacht which had run out of water, Dale Kushner's Xtra-Link arrived in Rio on Friday morning to take third place on handicap in the Heineken Cape to Rio yacht race.... [more]Share this story

Neptune Regatta 2011 - Heading south to the Equator Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia, The Neptune Regatta fleet is now safely back in the Nongsa Point Marina after a trip to the Equator. It has been an action-packed three days since we left Batam and headed south. For almost everyone it has felt like a week – at least. And that's a compliment.... [more]Share this story

America's Cup: Mr Integrity appointed to America's Cup Race Management America's Cup Media and Sail-World, Harold Bennett, the New Zealander, who has been a race officer for the last four editions of the America's Cup, will be the Director of On-Water Operations and Assistant Principal Race Officer. 'Harold has vast experience in America's Cup race management over the last decade,' said Iain Murray, Regatta Director and CEO America's Cup Race Management... [more]Share this story

Transatlantic Race 2011 fleet builds Michael Levitt, Entries are approaching 25 yachts for this summer's Transatlantic Race 2011 (TR2011). Covering 2,975 miles from Newport, R.I., to the Lizard in England, the race will begin near the New York Yacht Club's Harbour Court clubhouse in Newport, with three staggered starts from June 26 to July 3.... [more]Share this story

Farr 40 Class Association International Calendar of racing released Jim Richardson, Farr 40 Class Association international calendar of racing for the upcoming year has been released.... [more]Share this story

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